On Sunday, July 6, Delta Air Lines Flight 127 departed from Madrid and was heading for New York when a mid-flight engine issue caused the pilot to divert the plane to Terceira Island.
“As safety comes before all else at Delta, the flight crew followed procedures to divert to Lajes, Azores (TER) after indication of a mechanical issue with an engine,” a Delta Air Lines spokesperson told CBS. “The flight landed safely, and we sincerely apologize to our customers for their experience and delay in their travels.”
The 282 passengers and 13 crew members on Flight 127 reportedly endured a 29-hour overnight delay on Terceira Island. Local hotels accommodated the fliers, and Delta reportedly provided meals for those on the long, unintended layover. A plane took the passengers and crew to their original destination — New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport — the following day (Monday). CBS News reported that the airline will follow up with the passengers on the delayed flight, offering an apology and compensation.
What Else Is There To Know About The Delta Air Lines Flight 127 Diversion?
Delta hasn’t disclosed details about the type of mechanical engine issue that the plane, an Airbus A330, experienced.
That said, the flight landed safely on Terceira Island. A Delta spokesperson reportedly noted that everyone deboarded within an hour of landing.
The flight departed from Madrid’s Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport. Travel and Tour World reported that passengers smelled something burning and heard a “whizzing” noise on the plane before it landed on Terceira Island.
Where Is Terceira Island?
Terceira Island is part of the Azores, a group of nine volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean that are an autonomous region of Portugal. Lajes Airport, where Delta Flight 127 landed, is located in Lajes parish — a part of the island’s coastal municipality of Praia da Vitória. The flight hub is a civilian and military airport also referred to as Terceira Airport, Terceira Lajes Airport, or Aerogare Civil das Lajes.
